§ Mr. GROVESasked the President of the Board of Education if his attention has been drawn to the case of Mr. E. G. Bishop, of 74, Ridley Road, Forest Gate, who was formerly a handicraft instructor under the London County Council, was discharged as unfit for employment in consequence of developing consumption, and became entitled to a superannuation allowance consisting of a pension of 12s. 6d. per week and a lump sum: is he aware that this man was sent for treatment to a sanatorium at a weekly charge of £2 14s., one moiety of which was payable by the West Ham authority and one by the Ministry of Health; that, during his maintenance at the sanatorium, the Board of Education suspended payment of the superannuation allowance in order to meet the charge of £1 7s. per week payable by the Ministry, this suspension being authorised by Section 15 of the School Teachers (Superannuation) Act, 1918; that, as even the weekly pension was insufficient to defray this charge, the lump sum was drawn upon to the extent necessary to make up the balance; that the result of tins suspension of payment was that the wife was reduced to a condition of poverty and compelled to apply to the overseers of the parish for excuse from payment of the local rates; and. in view of these circumstances, will he investigate the points, and discriminate within the application of the Section of the Act referred to?
§ Lord EUSTACE PERCYThe facts are generally as stated. The whole matter of these deductions has been under consideration, and a new rule has recently been made, with the consent of the Treasury, which will alter the position for the future. The hardships inflicted on tuberculous pensioners by the suspension or reduction of their pensions or lump sums has caused my right hon. Friend great concern, and he proposes to examine whether it is possible to rectify them.